The present invention relates generally to desk structures for use in vehicles and, in particular, to a desk system for mounting a desk structure in van type vehicles.
Many devices are known for providing a driver and/or passenger in a vehicle access to various objects such as a note pad, a drink container, a cellular telephone, business files, etc. Generally, these devices are mounted either on the dashboard of the vehicle, upon the front seat of the vehicle, or straddling the transmission/drive shaft hump in the front floor of the vehicle. For example, there is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,391 an automobile desk that is supported at a forward end on the floor of a vehicle by a pair of adjustable length legs and at a rearward end on the bench seat cushion. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,092 shows an integrally molded one-piece portable console with a back portion that rests on the automobile seat and a depending front portion that extends downwardly over the front of the seat and rests on the drive shaft tunnel of the automobile. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,764 shows an armrest for a vehicle including a drawer having a holder for different types and sizes of beverage containers and a slide with recesses for holding a writing instrument and writing media. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,049 shows a mobile telephone console for mounting on the transmission hump of a vehicle and including a writing table extending on an arm from the side from the console body. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,153 shows a desk structure for removable mounting on a front arm rest of a vehicle.
Each of the above discussed devices is not particularly suited for use in a van-type vehicle having a pair of spaced apart "captain's chairs" for the driver and a front seat passenger. Such a vehicle does not have the bench-type seat needed to support several of the prior art devices and, in a front wheel drive van, there is no transmission/drive shaft tunnel to support otheres ones of the prior art devices.